Moved out, landlord wants payment for new carpet, paint

[lp7897]

Daughter moved out of house due to hostile living environment caused by another roommate. In her bedroom, there were a few drop-size stains on the carpet and holes on the wall where she hung pictures, and the movers scraped the paint when they moved her furniture out. She left a $300 check to cover the costs. However, owner/landlord wants her to pay $1,200 - the cost to replace the carpet and paint the walls. Is he entitled to this?

There was NO lease. Owner just wanted help with his mortgage by renting out the extra bedrooms. Daughter and owner were already acquaintances when she moved in.

 

[jacksgal]

If that what is needed to put the room back to same condition prior to her leaving yes he can seek those monies. However he will need to provide itemized billing with reciept to prove this.

 

[mightymoose]

It is unlikely that the landlord can justify those costs with receipts, and also unlikely the landlord can justify replacing the entire carpet and repainting the place.

A fee to have a cleaning service lift the stain and a small fee to touch up the paint is more realistic. You are being scammed. Don't pay it unless a judge orders you to.

 

[lp7897]

Thank you for your response! I felt the same way but it is reassuring to hear it from someone else!

 

[Ctryder]

Mightymouse,
WRONG AGAIN, you must be a irate tenant.
Anyway, the rug has to be return in the same condition on the day she rented less wear and tear. These were stains. Yes, a good cleaning company may or may not be able to remove these stains. A few drops to you might be alot to me. If he does replace, than the cost will be pro-rated on the life of the rug. You do not have to pay for the full cost. Have LL provide the purchase price of the old rug so you can get an idea of what your cost will be if he buys new. But I would send a reg certified letter requesting that you would have it professional cleaned with his choice of company and see what he says.
It depends on the holes, where they itty bitty tiny ones or holes left by large nails or screws? And yes, she would be liable for the movers. It is up to her to have the movers compensate her. If one paints just an area left by nail holes or patch up a scratch on the wall, the rest of the room could look dirty. LL has no choice except to repaint the whole area. Remember, the room has to be returned in same condition when you rented. Did you rent with paint patches all over or a complete paint job? In that letter state that you will paint the wall and fill in the holes.
$300.00 is reasonable, I would say even less, if he does not replace the rug. Send letter and see what happens. Good luck.

 

[mightymoose]

A few drops staining the carpet don't justify replacing the entire carpet. The landlord will have to show that it was required, and that efforts to clean it failed or were unrealistic. This is a common landlord scam.
The holes from mounting pictures are not considered "damage" that you are responsible for... unless for some reason there is an extreme excess of them.
From what is described, it sounds as if the $300 already paid was more than enough to cover the cost of the carpet stain and the damage the movers caused.

In any event, the landlord is required to produce evidence of the cost if the OP is expected to pay, and the OP is under no obligation to pay it unless a judge orders it.

 

[Ctryder]

I few drops staining the carpet don't justify replacing the entire carpet. The landlord will have to show that it was required, and that efforts to clean it failed or were unrealistic. This is a common landlord scam.
The holes from mounting pictures are not considered "damage" that you are responsible for... unless for some reason there is an extreme excess of them.
From what is described, it sounds as if the $300 already paid was more than enough to cover the cost of the carpet stain and the damage the movers caused.

In any event, the landlord is required to produce evidence of the cost if the OP is expected to pay, and the OP is under no obligation to pay it unless a judge orders it.

I agree with you that some LL use this as a scam. But like I said, what is a few drops to you is a whole lot to me. Because sometimes a tenant will lie, yes lie, like LL scams, about a damage. But I disagree about the nail holes. I do let them slide unless they are screws or those yellow sticky things. Type in "wear and tear list" and you will find that nail holes are consider damages.